Players of the Week - No. 1

Players of the Week - No. 1

September 06, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -Mor Efraim of Martin Methodist (Tenn.) has been named NAIA National Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week and Montreat’s (N.C.) Caroline Mellard has been tabbed NAIA National Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Efraim and Mellard are the first honorees of the 2011 season and were selected based on their performances from Aug. 29 – Sept. 4. They were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings.

Efraim scored four of Martin Methodist’s nine goals in its first two games of the season. She netted a pair of goals and assisted on two others as the 10th-ranked RedHawks defeated Oklahoma Baptist 6-0 on Aug. 31. Against No. 25 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) the junior midfielder scored twice en route to a 3-0 victory on Sept. 4.

The Nevatim, Israel, native ranks among the top-10 nationally in four statistical categories: first in assists per game (2.0), third in points per game (6.0), fifth in goals per game (2.0) and 10th in shots on goal per game (4.0).

Mellard logged 290 scoreless minutes in goal as the Cavilers went 2-0-1. The junior keeper made a pair of saves as Montreat topped Tennessee Temple (NCCAA) 6-0 on Aug. 29 and followed up with a three-save effort in a 1-0 win over NCAA Division II foe Converse College (S.C.) on Sept. 1. In a double-overtime effort against NCAA Division II Mars Hill College (N.C.), Mellard warded off 16 shots as the Cavaliers played to a 0-0 tie.

Hailing from Lawerenceville, Ga., Mellard’s 35 saves through five games ranks third nationally.